Form View: Diagnostic Website Evaluation

Company/Organization: The Crispian Advantage
Website Address: http://thecrispianadvantage.com/

Evaluation Prepared By: Matt Stanley, Founder & President of Oasis Interactive

Metric 1 of 3: Usability

Is the overall visual experience soothing and comfortable instead of overwhelming due to excessive content and/or features? No
The home page scrolls eternally, listing each blog post in the database, one after another after another with no pagination, and the sidebar is too busy, including 16 different widgets. The end result is that the website is completely overwhelming and less than effective because no one thing stands out and everything is competing with something. Less is more when it comes to effective web design and this site just has too much going on.
Does the website balance text and images effectively by using both to break up the content and make it easy to read and comprehend? No
The website is EXTREMELY text-heavy, making the content somewhat difficult to absorb. I realize your audience isn't coming to your site for entertainment; they want solid business information they can use to improve sales and achieve goals. That being said, however, using both text AND images is psychologically soothing and helps readers' brains stay more actively engaged with the content.
Is the text easy to read (scan through easily and understand quickly)? Yes
Is the navigation functional, logical (intuitive) and consistent from one page of the site to the next? Yes
Can you get to any page on the site in three clicks or less? Yes
Can you find the content you’re looking for easily without having to explore the entire website? Yes
Is all of the important content visible “above the fold?” No
This website has a LOT of scrolling because your content is lengthy and detailed. One subpages, full blog posts and areas where that is expected, scrolling is OK. On the home page, however, you have 3 - 5 seconds to capture the visitor's attention, so tons of scrolling is very counter-productive.
Is contact information, such as a phone number, mailing address, and “send us e-mail” form prominently displayed or easy to find? No
One of the most commonly expressed frustrations on the part of website users is non-existent or difficult to find contact information (address, phone number, etc.). Your website has no phone number, mailing address or email address listed. This may be intentional, but the impression I got from that choice is that you're too busy to be bothered with phone calls and if someone wants to correspond with you they must submit your web form and wait for a response from you when it's convenient. Perceptions are so important online, and I would recommend that you cater to each prospective client's communication style. Some people hate email and would prefer to talk on the phone. Others LIKE the email form option because they don't like to talk on the phone. Other people prefer email or snail mail when corresponding with vendors. If you aren't listing any contact information to protect your privacy there are options that will shield it from prospects while still making it easy to get in touch with you and project an air of openness and availability.
Can you use the website without having to install any plugins or ActiveX controls? Yes
Are all of the site’s hyperlinks clear and obvious? Yes
Is the website devoid of an initial Flash or splash page? Yes
Are multimedia elements (such as music, animation and/or video, if any) implemented in an unobtrusive manner that allows visitors control over how/if they are displayed? Not Applicable
Do all external website links and/or PDF documents (if any) open in a new window instead of the active one? No
The link to "Focusing Change to Win" on your Consulting & Training Services page opens in the active window, while it should open in a new one. On a side note, that same link is actually broken and displays an "Internal Server Error" when clicked.
Does the site work properly and look good in Google Chrome? Yes
Does the site work properly and look good in Mozilla Firefox? Yes
Does the site work properly and look good in Internet Explorer/Edge? Yes
Does the site render properly on mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets? Yes
Does the website load quickly? Yes

Usability Summary

Total Points: | Points Earned: | Equivalent Score: | Usability Grade:

Summary Comments:

The website is extremely busy and it has a LOT of content. The content is very valuable, but it needs to be reorganized so the user experience is more streamlined and productive, and less stressful.

Supporting Documentation:

Metric 2 of 3: Professionalism

Is the website modern instead of looking outdated? No
The website's theme ("Rusty Grunge") has a color scheme that complements the Crispian crest, but its design does not seem to match your level of professionalism and expertise. It feels to me like there's a disconnect between your brand and the website. I would like to explore how we can improve the website so it more clearly and effectively communicates who you are and what you do with a higher degree of quality.
Does the combination of colors in use on the site look attractive? Yes
Does the website prominently display a professionally designed company logo and is it linked to the website home page? No
The website does not have a logo; just text. Adding a professionally designed logo would help convey a greater sense of expertise and help establish confidence in the minds of your visitors and prospective clients.
Do the colors in use on the site complement the logo and reinforce the corporate brand (if it contains one)? Not Applicable
Does the site contain only professional-looking pictures and graphics instead of clipart or amateur animation (if it's not a text-only site)? Yes
Is the photography and artwork on the website crisp and clean instead of blurry or pixelated (if it's not a text-only site)? Yes
Do all of the website pages contain polished, finished content instead of blank pages or those that are “under construction?” Yes
Does the website contain professional, well-written text that is free of typos and grammatical errors?
Does the site contain only working links and/or functionality? No
I ran a link scan on your website using special software. After 37 minutes it had checked only 4,693 of 10,000+ links on your site and discovered more than a dozen broken links. I would recommend completing the scan, identifying all broken links and fixing them.
Do all site features seem to serve a business purpose? Yes
Is the website devoid of antiquated and problematic technology such as frames? Yes

Professionalism Summary

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Summary Comments:

A new theme and overhaul of your website's navigation and design would go a long way to improving the site's professionalism and effectiveness.

Supporting Documentation:

Metric 3 of 3: Marketing Effectiveness & Integration

Does the website content (text, photos, artwork, and multimedia elements) engage you on a personal level and create a sense of warmth, safety and comfort? Does it sell using emotion (personal benefits) instead of just facts (features)? No
The website has fantastic blog articles with a great deal of useful information, but the warm, human element is really lacking. The site feels very cold, impersonal, and scientific. It would benefit greatly from the addition of photos (including a good, recent portrait of you) and emotionally engaging language that persuades visitors to take action... specifically to participate in the sales process.
Does the website content make a compelling case for doing business with them by explaining what sets them apart from their competitors? Is the unique selling position (USP) clear and compelling? No
There is good USP content, but it's too hidden and not as obvious as it should be. A concise, persuasive, compelling home page (content and design) would help improve conversion and increase sales.
Does the site contain fresh content (material that has been added in the last 12 months or less)? Yes
Does the text motivate you to buy through a clear and persuasive call-to-action (CTA)? No
The CTA is sprinkled throughout the site at the bottom of blog articles and in a sidebar widget but it's not nearly dominant enough. It should be graphical instead of textual - vibrant, colorful, highly motivating and impossible to miss or ignore.
Does the website have unique and search engine-friendly URLs? Yes
Does the website have a sitemap? No
I could not find a sitemap, but that doesn't necessarily mean one doesn't exist. Think of a sitemap like a road atlas that tells Google where every important destination is on your website. A sitemap links to every single page of content, making it as easy as possible for the search engine spiders to crawl (locate) and index (rank) every part of your site. We should make sure your website has a sitemap and that it's being submitted to Google for indexing by their algorithm.
Does the website have keyword-rich title tags? No
Title tags are the text links which are clickable in a search engine listing. They are the single most important on-page element when it comes to optimizing your website for search engines. The current site has title tags that just list the page names instead of including keyword phrases. The site would benefit from an search engine optimization (SEO) audit and campaign to improve your rankings.
Does the website have valuable, keyword-optimized content? No
The website content does not appear to have been written with SEO specifically in mind. If you are not satisfied with your search engine rankings then it would be wise to hire an Internet marketing company to help with on-page optimization in order to boost your site's visibility.
Can the website be found in search engines by using their business name? Yes
Does the site use an e-newsletter or alternate opt-in tool (i.e. e-book, white paper, research report, etc.) to engage each visitor as a prospective client? Yes
Does the website contain a form to request a quote or ask for more information? Yes
Does the site contain video content to capture visitor attention and interest? No
Video is an EXTREMELY form of media that is proven to accomplish the following: increase visitor retention; shorten the sales cycle and increase conversion rates; improve search engine ranking performance; boost the visibility and effectiveness of your social media presence and increase the frequency with which visitors share your content with others on their social networks. Adding interesting and educational videos to your site that add value to your website visitors would help you improve its effectiveness, increase traffic and increase the number of clients you serve.
Does the site capitalize on social media to promote the business and its brand? No
Social media technology has forever changed how companies promote themselves and are perceived in the marketplace. The site contains no social media integration. You should have a business page on each major social media website (Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.) and make the most of them by linking to them from your website. You should also have a widget on each content page of your site that allows visitors to share your content with others.
Are there links to their social media pages and a "like/share this content" feature?
Does their website have "Review Us" links to social media networks like Google+, Yelp, and Facebook?
Does the website make use of analytics? No
Web analytics tools provide very valuable information that helps companies measure and improve the overall effectiveness of their online marketing efforts. Specific data they provide include the following: Traffic volume via reports that can be customized in very granular fashion (i.e. daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.); specific visitor behavior and trends (i.e. most visited pages, least visited pages, path taken through site, average amount of time spent on site, etc.); keyword phrases used to find the site on the major search engines; and conversion rates (i.e. how many people that visited the site requested more information through your online form or opted into your e-newlsetter). Incorporating web analytics technology into your website would provide actionable intelligence to help you get a better ROI and continually improve marketing effectiveness.
Was the website built using a Content Management System (CMS)? Yes

Marketing Effectiveness & Integration Summary

Total Points: | Points Earned: | Equivalent Score: | Marketing Grade:

Summary Comments:

By giving the website an aesthetic and structural overhaul I think you could significantly improve your conversion rate. Specific recommendations would be using a new theme, developing strong, persuasive and visually stimulating CTAs, adding more photos, making an intentional effort to more concisely and clearly explain your USP, improving on-page and off-page SEO performance, producing and adding video, embracing and capitalizing on social media, and implementing an analytics system to measure improvement over time.

Supporting Documentation:

OVERALL Website Summary